Applying for a Master’s degree in Sweden (2025)
Sweden is home to some of the world's leading universities - free of charge for EU/EEA citizens
by Magnus Johansson, , modified
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| 31 | universities offer Masters in Sweden in English |
| 827 | Masters are available |
Sweden, in Northern Europe, is a popular destination for international students looking to get a Master’s degree in English. Expect high-quality education at its universities - many of which rank among the best in the world - with a high quality of life in a welcoming and inclusive society.
At Swedish universities, you’ll find Master’s programmes both 1 and 2 years long, with many universities offering subjects as both versions. Upon completion, most Master’s programs in Sweden lead to a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Science (MSc) degree.
There are nearly 1,000 Master’s programmes in Sweden that are completely taught in English. Find yours today!
Before you submit your application, it’s important to know if you have to pay tuition fees, and if so, how much it will cost.
For citizens of the EU, the EEA, Switzerland, or Nordic countries, higher education in Sweden is tuition-free - there are no fees.
For citizens of other countries, fees typically range between 80,000 and 250,000 SEK per year (ca. €8,000-€25,000).
All universities in Sweden manage applications for Master’s programmes through a central portal, Universityadmissions.se. On that platform you can pick multiple programmes to apply to. To prepare your application, you’ll need a number of documents, for example:
If you’re applying to multiple Masters at the same time, be aware that you may have to rank them by your own preference. This is important: You will only receive one offer in the end. If you qualify for your own first choice, it’s that one; if not that, then the second choice etc. So it matters a lot in which order you rank the Masters!
Once you’ve chosen all Masters, it’s time to apply. Sweden has two separate application rounds for an autumn semester start:
There are scholarships available in Sweden to cover tuition fees fully or partially. Ask the universities you’re interested in to learn about your options. Through the Swedish Institute, students from select countries might also access government scholarships for living costs, but these are very competitive and hard to get. Almost all scholarships are only available to students who are required to pay tuition fees and not those that can study tuition-free.
EU/EEA/Nordic citizens don’t need any visa or residence permit to study in Sweden.
Citizens of other countries generally need a student residence permit and in some cases a visa to enter the country. You’ll have to apply for the permit or visa after being accepted to a Swedish university and will have to prove that you can support yourself financially during your studies. Consult the university admissions staff or the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) to find out what your next steps are.
Student housing in Sweden is generally arranged separately from the university, but most universities have at least a small housing team to help international students. Through them, you can expect to find a student room in a corridor with a shared kitchen, or a room in a shared students apartment. You can also try to find a room or apartment to rent in the private market. In many cities in Sweden, it’s quite a challenge to find accommodation, so make sure to start your search as early as possible. Use resources offered by the university/universities you’re interested in, and ask them for advice.
Time to plan your move to begin your study-abroad adventure! If you’re already in Scandinavia or Germany, travelling by train might be an option; or bus, with a smaller budget. The main airport hubs are Stockholm or Copenhagen (in Denmark - but the best-connected airport to reach the South of Sweden), with more airports in smaller cities across the country.
1 to 2 years. Swedish universities offer Masters degrees that last 1 or 2 years; often the same subject offered as both versions, with a shorter or more extensive curriculum (and the respective ECTS credit points).
For citzens of the EU/EEA, university education is free of tuition. Students from other countries have to pay somewhere between 8,000 and 25,000 per year in tuition fees.
Ready to study in Sweden?
